Two-paper system for SSC exam may go

By Our Staff Reporter

WARANGAL, JAN. 21. The School Education Minister, Mr. Kadiam Srihari, has said the State Government favoured reducing the question papers for the SSC exam from 11 to six. Dispensing with the system of having two question papers for five subjects and one for the second language and instead having one paper each for all six subjects in SSC and revising the school syllabi with subject-wise expert committees which have already been constituted were part of the steps contemplated by the Government to overhaul school education, Mr. Srihari said at a State-level seminar on `higher education - social responsibility' organised by Government College Gazetted Teachers Association of A.P. (GCGTA) here on Sunday. The Minister regretted that the present system of evaluating students did not reflect the complete assessment of the talent of students. The present examination system often led to suicide by students. He sought the opinion of the college teachers for a continuous evaluation system.

He also said the State Government was committed to universalisation of elementary education with emphasis on ensuring complete literacy by 2005.

Mr. Srihari said teaching had become highly challenging these days with educational standards going up. Completing the syllabus in schools and colleges had become a social responsibility of teachers where it once was their duty. The upsurge in IT demanded high levels of training from teachers.

He appealed to teachers and their organisations to redefine their role vis-a-vis the changing needs of society.

Mr. Srihari said there were experienced, qualified and able teachers in the Government sector. Yet, the results were far better in private institutions than in Government schools, the reason being teachers in Government schools lacked commitment as their jobs were secure whereas a private teacher worked hard because there was no job security.

Some of the private high schools with a strength of about 2,000 students were constructed over a half acre land in Hyderabad. They did not have even a single staff member who had qualified teacher training. Whereas, all Government schools had B.Ed. qualified teachers and good infrastructure.

The Higher Education Minister, Mr. Karanam Ramachandra Rao, said the Government was striving for a knowledge society but the objective was way ahead as the enrolment at the Intermediate level was not even 10 per cent, 6 to 7 per cent at degree and 3 to 4 per cent at the post-graduate levels. He invited suggestions from teachers on what must be the role of the Government in creating a knowledgeable society.

Mr. B. Kripanandam, Commissioner of Collegiate Education, said looking to the Government for improving educational standards is a fallacy.

The Vice-Chancellor of Kakatiya University, Prof. Vidyavathi, Hanamkonda MLA, Mr. M. Dharma Rao, and Mr. Ch. Vidyasagar, State President of GCGTA, spoke. Dr. S.D. Subba Reddy, Advisor, GCGTA, delivered the keynote address.

Mr. Ramachandra Rao was the chief guest at the valedictory function for a refresher course in management for college teachers at CKM College at Desaipet.

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